Re: [SBB] Tropical Kingbird & Golden Plover

["Steve and Heather Rottenborn" <[[email protected]]>]

South Bay Birders,



This morning, Richard Jeffers and I counted shorebirds at various 
Alviso-area locations for the PRBO/SFBBO shorebird survey.  As Dean has 
reported (thanks, Dean), the highlight was a Tropical Kingbird along Zanker 
Road.  We first saw the bird at 08:47 at the location Dean described, and it 
was in the same tree later at around 13:00.  Hopefully it will hang around. 
Two Cooper's Hawks were patrolling the area, and I wonder whether one is 
reponsible for the kingbird's complete lack of tail feathers.  The long, 
heavy bill (larger than that of a Western or Cassin's) and underparts 
pattern (bright yellow belly extending upward to a pale olive-yellow [not 
plain gray as on a Western or Cassin's] chest that grades into a whitish 
throat) indicate Tropical or Couch's Kingbird.  We did not hear the bird 
call, so technically Couch's could not be eliminated, but Tropical is the 
much more likely of the two.



Richard and I first saw the juvenile golden-plover at the CCFS waterbird 
pond at around 10:45, and it was still present from 13:15 to 13:45 when Dean 
and I saw it.  Structurally, the bird looked good for an American 
Golden-Plover.  It had a noticeably long-winged appearance.  Four primary 
tips were clearly visible beyond the tertials on both sides.  The tip of p8 
was even with the tip of the tail, so that the outermost two primaries 
extended well beyond the tail (at least as much as, and possibly more than, 
the length of the bill).  Overall, the bird was fairly drab, and it would be 
at the duller end of the spectrum if it were a Pacific Golden-Plover; very 
small golden-brown spots in the upper back and some warmer tones to the 
hindneck were the brightest markings on the bird, and most of the paler 
markings on the upperparts were white or grayish-white.  However, the 
posterior part of the supercilium appeared at times to have a buff tint, and 
there was a buff wash to the underparts that imparted some "warmth".  While 
these features may be within the range of variation for an American 
Golden-Plover, I want to do some more research before calling it 
definitively.  If anyone can get any photos of this bird, they may be useful 
in establishing its identity.



Additionally, a Pectoral Sandpiper was at the CCFS waterbird pond, and 12 
Brown Pelicans were at pond A18.



Good birding,



Steve Rottenborn

Morgan Hill, CA



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dean Manley" <[[email protected]]>
To: <[[email protected]]>
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 4:15 PM
Subject: [SBB] Tropical Kingbird & Golden Plover


> Hi SBBers,
>
> Late this morning, 11/06/06, Frank V., Bob R., and I were starting out the
> spur track at the EEC entry road when Mike Mammoser stopped to report that
> a tailess Tropocal Kingbird had been found on Zanker Rd. by Steve
> Rottenborn. Needless to say we reversed direction and headed over there. 
> We
> did not find the bird and returned to the tracks, viewing again the STILT
> SANDPIPER and a female RUFF. Later after Frank and Bob departed I went 
> back
> over to Spreckles St and found Steve Rottenborn who told me about the
> Tropical Kingbird and a Golden Plover at the CCFS waterbird pond.  Steve
> was reconsidering the ID of the plover and decided to return for more 
> looks
> so I followed him.  Zanker Rd. was the route and Steve pulled over where 
> he
> made the find and there was the tailess TROPICAL KINGBIRD on the same tree
> where discovered earlier this morning (1pm).
>
> Tropical Kingbird location on Zanker Road: It's much closer to Hwy 237 
> than
> the EEC entry rd. Coming down Zanker from 237 you come to a fence on the
> left side of the road with spaced ornamental trees along the fence (along
> the road). It is an large area of mowed green grass.  Continuing you see 
> an
> electrical substation type facility coming up on the left (same side as
> trees) but before you get to the substaton there is a card reader accessed
> gate on the right.  The view point  for the bird was maybe 300 feet back
> toward 237 from the gate.  You can pull off on a wide shoulder by the 
> fence
> but be warned, stopping is illegal.  Maybe 40 feet behind the front row of
> ornamentals is individual tree wtih bare limbs on top.  It looks like a
> pine at first glance but is a River-oak Casuarina.  The bare limbs of this
> tree is where the bird has been seen.
>
> I zip over to the CCSS waterbird pond and catch up with Steve.  We see the
> Golden Plover.  It has four primaries projecting beyond the tertials (both
> sides) and the wing tips extends well beyond the end of the tail which
> usually triggers a American Golden Plover ID for me.  However details
> associated with lack of brightness are bothering Steve and he will refer 
> to
> some reference material before offering more.
>
> Location of Golden Plover:  As you get to the CCFS waterbird pond continue
> on the paved road and stop about 80 before you get to the little side road
> where the bridge has been removed.  Try searching the marshy areas out to
> the large body of water. For those not familiar, access is available
> through a membership in SFBBO.
>
> Dean Manley
>
>
>
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